Hair Care
The Really Gross Reason You Need to Exfoliate Your Scalp ASAPYour dry shampoo addiction is doing more than helping you fake freshly washed hair -- it's doing some gnarly things to your scalp |
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Turns out, dry shampoo can disrupt the ecosystem of your scalp. "The delicate acid mantle on your face is identical to [the one on] your scalp, which is easily disrupted by products like dry shampoos, especially if the scalp and hair is not shampooed after frequent use," says Christyn Nawrot, Phyto National Educator. In other words, say hello to dandruff, excessive oil, unpleasant odor, clogged pores and even fungus and bacteria.
"Remember, scalp is skin and requires the same care as your face," says Dr. Francesca Fusco, Clear Scalp & Hair dermatologist. Washing your hair too infrequently leads to the buildup of dead skin.
How frequently you should wash your hair really depends on your hair texture, says Bosley Professional Strength Trichologist and Director of Education, Michelle Blaisure. "With coarser and curlier textures, it is common to only shampoo maybe two times a week or less, as oil helps to keep hair smoother." People with finer hair usually shampoo more often to get rid of oil, or they use dry shampoo to make their style last.
Unfortunately, doing what's best for your hair isn't always what's best for your scalp. "If your scalp pores become clogged, it can contribute to a kind of scalp acne called folliculitis," Fusco says. "This folliculitis can be bacterial or yeast in nature and if it goes without treatment can lead to increased shedding (i.e. flakes)." Cue the collective "Ew."
"Think of it this way: You'd never skip washing your face [editor's note: only when we're really, really lazy], and you'd also never replace face cleansing with a wipe or blot of a powdery sponge," she explains. That certainly puts my dry shampoo addiction in perspective. But, there is hope for us lather-averse, dry shampoo devotees. That salvation comes in the form of a scalp exfoliant.
"Exfoliating the scalp removes dead skin cells and encourages healthy skin turnover, creating the ideal environment for healthy hair growth," says Anabel Kingsley, a Philip Kingsley trichologist. Read: a healthy scalp means health, resilient and shiny hair. She recommends exfoliating your scalp once a week, especially if you like to go days without shampooing. Here, six scalp exfoliants that will help you get the hair of your dreams -- without the nasty side effects.
Image via Imaxtree
SEE NEXT PAGE: A DIY Scalp Scrub
